Earlier today, The National Enquirer reported that they'll be releasing the story of Charlie Sheen's "explosive secret" that he has been "hiding from the world". They claim that "decades of debauchery have finally caught up" to him and connect his HIV-positive status with years of womanizing.

Regardless of whether their story is true, it is not only a violation of his privacy, but a public health threat in and of itself. For starters, his "explosive secret" and so-called cover up are not part of a scandal, but a matter of personal medical privacy. And decades of "debauchery" and "womanizing" do not inevitably result in HIV transmission.

Transmission can occur in a single sexual act as well as through other activities than involve the exchange of vaginal fluids, rectal fluids, seminal fluids, blood or breast milk. It’s stories like these that further stigmatize HIV and other STIs and put the public at risk under the farcical guise of journalism and public interest. By outing those who...

By: Lyba Spring

Do we have to talk about sex?

It is generally accepted that we have to talk about sexuality in some way to our children so that they can develop into sexually healthy individuals. But what about our partners?  Whether it’s a one-time thing or a long-term committed relationship, there are three prerequisites to any sexual activity: consent, safety and pleasure.

There is no way around it: communication is key. For some people, this feels entirely natural; for others, they’d rather visit the dentist. Let’s say you have a new partner. You are very turned on to each other. You’ve managed to discuss mutual protection and have negotiated safer sex and/or contraception if pregnancy is an issue. You’ve agreed that you’re going to have sex – whatever that term means to the both of you. That’s two down off the checklist. Now, are you going to present a menu of what pleases you before the clothes come off; or are you going to hope for the best? You have three opportunities to ge...

By: Lyba Spring

Do we have to talk about sex?

It is generally accepted that we have to talk about sexuality in some way to our children so that they can develop into sexually healthy individuals.  But what about our partners?

Whether it’s a one-time thing or a long-term committed relationship, there are three prerequisites to any sexual activity: consent, safety and pleasure.  There is no way around it: communication is key.  For some people, this feels entirely natural; for others, they’d rather visit the dentist.

Let’s say you have a new partner.  You are very turned on to each other.  You’ve managed to discuss mutual protection and have negotiated safer sex and/or contraception if pregnancy is an issue.  You’ve agreed that you’re going to have sex – whatever that term means to the both of you.  That’s two down off the checklist.  Now, are you going to present a menu of what pleases you before the clothes come off; or are you going to hope for the best?

You have three opportun...

Sometimes researchers break the mould and get it right — other times their claims simply don't add up. Jess examines a study which concludes that women are never heterosexual based on their pupil dilation response to sexual stimuli.

Check out the video and read through her additional notes below.

Jess has some concerns about this study’s findings:

• Pupil response doesn’t necessarily indicate sexual arousal or attraction. It’s possible that sexualized videos of women draw more attention and alertness - not necessarily arousal in all cases. Our pupils do dilate when sexually aroused, but their dilation is really by-product of the nervous system processing information. They dilate in response to light, in response to challenging math questions, in response to images of war. Their dilation is considered part of a fight or flight response.
• We create more space for female sexuality to be fluid, so it’s possible that women are more open to feeling aroused by images of other women even
...

How does falling in love affect your relationship with your friends? Research suggests that your friend circle may shrink as your love blossoms!

via GIPHY

Why do we lose friends when we fall in love? Is it healthy? What can we do about it?

This morning on Global TV’s The Morning Show, they ponder the question: should we be having more or less sex? Terry Crews and his wife, Rebecca King Crews attribute a boost in relationship satisfaction to a 90-day ban on sex while Natasha Bell of The Telegraph insists that having sex with her partner within the first hour of arriving home is the marriage-saver. Check out Dr. Jess’ thoughts below.

As a sexologist, I have one of the best jobs in the world. I am blessed to travel to far away lands, meet with fascinating people and share my adventures with a community of open minded friends. One of the best parts of my job involves working at clothing-optional, adult-only resorts like Desire Riviera Maya and Desire Pearl in Mexico.

Though I have a blast hosting retreats at these resorts, I know that many of my followers are perplexed by the idea of a clothing-optional, erotic-themed vacation. I receive hundreds of questions every month about what really goes down on the beach, at the pool, in the jacuzzi and even in the restaurants. It's clear that people are simultaneously nervous, enticed and sometimes misinformed about the experience, so I've gathered the most frequently asked questions below and asked real-life resort guests to help out with the answers. Enjoy and please feel free to be in touch if you have any other questions!

FAQ: Do I have to be naked? "No, there are a few...

Continued from Part 1 here...

FAQ: What should men do if they get an erection? "I cover up with a T shirt when tanning and yes it has happened to me. Its not acceptable to touch yourself so "down boy". However it's a consequence of being surrounded by beautiful people so it might give rise to an opportunity for you & your partner to go fool around." - Brian & Kath, Vancouver "Depends on how you got the erection, if it is for the right reasons, use it!! Otherwise, just excuse yourself discreetly. I don’t really think an erection will offend anyone!" - Jesse & Jenny, Mercersburg "Nothing to worry about! It happens to the best of us, and it is nothing to be embarrassed about. We recommend that you just roll over on your stomach for a while, or cover up with a towel until the “situation” subsides." - Desire Resorts

FAQ: Will we be encouraged to swing? "No, not at all. People are not pushy at all. Especially if they understand the lifestyle." - Brent & Dani, Atlanta "The resort is not tec...

Today on The Global Morning Show, Jess, Liza and Jeff discuss the role of gratitude in maintaining happy, harmonious relationships. A recent study suggests that simply saying “thank you” can create a relationship safety net to ward off divorce during times of distress. Another study examines “ambivalent” marriages and the toll they might take on couples’ cardiovascular health. Jess shares strategies for improving your relationship through simple gratitude practices that take less than 30 seconds per day.